VOICE

 

What is voice?

            Voice is simply a way of speaking. It is mostly used in oral forms. When we feel that the sentence in which subject is strong we use the active voice and when we feel that the object is important then we use passive voice. See the following example;

PM Modi will inaugurate the bridge.

Here the subject [Modi]  is strong, so we are using active voice.

Now see the next example;

He was insulted in the party.

Here we feel that object [he] is important, that’s why we are using passive voice.

There are over forty rules to change the sentence of active voice into passive voice. But no grammar topic could be understood by cramming the rules. It could be understood by reading examples and doing exercise.

As you read through the following example sentences, you'll start to become an active voice expert.

Active Voice	Passive Voice
Harry ate six eggs at dinner.	At dinner, six eggs were eaten by Harry.
Beautiful giraffes roam the savannah.	The savannah is roamed by beautiful giraffes.
Sue changed the flat tire.	The flat tire was changed by Sue.
We are going to watch a movie tonight.	A movie is going to be watched by us tonight.
I completed the race in record time.	The race was completed by me in record time.
Mom read the novel in one day.	The novel was read by Mom in one day.
I will clean the house every Saturday.	The house will be cleaned by me every Saturday.
The company requires staff to watch a safety video every year.	The staffs are required by the company to watch a safety video every year.
Tom painted the entire house.	The entire house was painted by Tom.
The teacher always answers the students' questions.	The students' questions are always answered by the teacher.
The crowd really enjoys that music.	That music is really enjoyed by the crowd.
A forest fire destroyed the whole suburb.	The whole suburb was destroyed by a forest fire.
The two kings are signing the treaty.	The treaty is being signed by the two kings.
The cleaning crew vacuums and dusts the office every night.	Every night, the office is vacuumed and dusted by the cleaning crew.
Larry generously donated money to the homeless shelter.	Money was generously donated to the homeless shelter by Larry.
The wedding planner is making all the reservations.	All the reservations are being made by the wedding planner.
Susan will bake two dozen cupcakes for the bake sale.	Two dozen cookies will be baked by Susan for the bake sale.
The science class viewed the comet.	The comet was viewed by the science class.
The director will give you instructions.	Instructions will be given to you by the director.
Thousands of tourists visit the Grand Canyon every year.	The Grand Canyon is visited by thousands of tourists every year.
The homeowners remodeled the house to help it sell.	The house was remodeled by the homeowners to help it sell.
The saltwater corroded the metal beams.	The metal beams were corroded by the saltwater.
The kangaroo carried her baby in her pouch.	The baby was carried by the kangaroo in her pouch.

Active and passive voice exercise

Change the following active sentences into passive voice. 1. I did not beat her. a. She is not beaten by me.   b. She has not beaten by me.   c. She was not beaten by me.   2. I will never forget this experience. a. This experience is not forgotten by me. b. This experience would never be forgotten by me.   c. This experience will never be forgotten by me.   3. Mother made a cake yesterday. a. A cake made by mother yesterday.   b. A cake is made by mother yesterday.   c. A cake was made by mother yesterday.   4. The boy teased the girl. a. The girl was teased by the boy. b. The girl had teased by the boy. 5. Did she do her duty? a. Was she done her duty?   b. Was her duty done by her?   c. Had her duty done by her?   6. The tiger was chasing the deer. a. The deer was chased by the tiger.   b. The deer was being chased by the tiger. c. The deer had chased by the tiger. 7. She has written a novel. a. A novel has written by her.   b. A novel has been written by her. c. A novel had written by her. 8. She has learned her lessons. a. Her lessons has learned by her. b. Her lessons have been learned by her. c. Her lessons had been learned by her. 9. Have you finished the report? a. Has the report finished by you?   b. Has the report been finished by you?   c. Had the report been finished by you?   10. The police have caught the thief. a. The thief has been caught by the police. b. The thief was caught by the police.   c. The thief had been caught by the police. Notes: The object of the active verb becomes the subject of the passive verb. The subject of the active verb becomes the object of the passive verb. Note that the object of the passive verb is not always mentioned. If we have to mention it, we usually introduce it by the conjunction ‘by’.